


Take A Chance

by retrinazambrano



Series: OQ Happy Ending Week [2]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/M, Outlaw Queen Happy Ending Week
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-10
Updated: 2018-07-10
Packaged: 2020-04-06 14:50:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,304
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19064848
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/retrinazambrano/pseuds/retrinazambrano
Summary: The Enchanted Forest is lonely for Regina without Henry, but a certain thief helps her keep the faith.





	Take A Chance

**Author's Note:**

> For OQ Happy Ending Week, day 2: stuck in missing year.

Regina's blasted mirror had many faults, flaws that the Evil Queen would love to exploit to her advantage, but this time around, the man had something to offer that would benefit them all.

By some miracle, the mirror was not only able to show Regina the goings on in the Enchanted Forest, but also back in Storybrooke. Each day, Hook would check in on his progress of getting Emma to believe and, each day, it felt like they were getting just a little closer to getting home.

For Regina, however, it was Henry who was her main focus. The light of her life for as long as he had been alive, she very much felt his absence. The fact he couldn't remember her at all both comforted her - he wouldn't have to feel the pain of their separation - and killed her all at once. Emma's belief would bring them all back together. Or so she hoped.

It wasn't just the fact that she missed her darling boy dearly; she wanted to share the biggest development in her life with him. Robin (Hood… yes, that Robin, she could imagine saying, in response to his wide-eyed repetition of the British legend's name) had barrelled into her life much the same as his adorable son, Roland, and stayed put.

Robin was very attractive, sure; that cheeky smile and British accent had her captivated, but it was his devotion to his only kid that really grabbed her attention. Their conversations started purely about parenthood, Regina skirting around the subject of her own son until one evening, over a quart of whisky, she confessed to everything that was eating her up inside. Instead of judging her, or offering empty sympathy, Robin simply held her hand as she spoke, letting her release all of her sadness, anger, frustration, everything she had to give.

Then it blossomed. Beautifully. Robin told Regina of the loss of his wife, Roland's mother, how he blamed himself, and Regina repaid the favour, telling him how Daniel's love for her was to be his demise. They supported one another, their families and friends and fell into an easy rhythm, co-parenting without even arranging it, and it was Regina's idea of heaven.

Almost. If Henry could be in her life again, then it would be perfect.

\------

It takes the pirate some days (irresistable, my arse, Robin tells Regina when he hadn't completed his mission within one day like he had been boasting he would) to get Emma on side enough to take a chance on the memory potion. It works, thankfully, and as Emma speaks to Regina through the mirror, she can hear Henry in the distance, asking her who she's speaking to. It breaks her heart to be so close, yet so far.

There's not enough potion left for Henry too, so that plan's out and there's absolutely no way Emma's going to leave Henry out in the world alone, especially with no guarantee that they can get back to Storybrooke.

There's various suggestions, but none seem to work. The town team sit around the mirror and wrack their brains, yet the only thing they seem to be able to come up with is opening a portal.

A couple of issues with that plan, of course. There has to be a magic bean still in the real world, of course, but with Henry still a non-believer (and worried about his mother's increasingly erratic behaviour), how would they even guarantee his safe passage through to the Enchanted Forest? In fact, what guarantee would there even be that the Enchanted Forest could be reached?

In the end it's Emma that makes the final decision. Archie tells her there is a magic bean stashed away at the back of a locked compartment of his bureau (gaining a few mutters), the key under a loose floorboard under Pongo's bed. So it's set.

Emma falls through the portal first. Snow and Charming rush over to their daughter, checking she's alright as Emma brushes off the twigs and earth off her trademark red jacket. Regina, however, only gives her the briefest of glances before she turns her attentions back to the portal, the ripples and flames, fingers bunching into fists, every second passing making it less likely that her son is also coming through.

It's with a yelp that he falls through. Regina rushes over to him, falling to her knees in the most unqueenly of fashions (even in her corseted dress) beside him, stroking his hair away from his face and watching as his eyes flicker open and focus straight on her.

Mom? It's the only word she needs. Henry sits up and launches his arms around Regina's neck, Regina's own reciprocating the gesture as she buries her head against his neck, reacquainting herself with his scent, something she's missed so desperately. She pulls back, tears in her eyes, letting them fall as she presses her lips to his forehead.

They all feel the forcefield around them, surging pleasant electricity through their veins, returning them all to full strength and clarity. The kiss must have broken the rest of the curse, for a blue cloud passes them overhead and, for once, they feel no trepidation, no fear… only the hope that a happy ending is just around the corner.

\------

Alas, no. It wasn't to be. Although the cloud had been calming, it wasn't the portal back to Storybrooke they had wished for. Back to square one for the ever-suffering residents of a small town in Maine, but for one of those inhabitants, life felt more complete than ever.

Henry had reacted to his mother's new relationship just as she thought he would. He was impressed and awed by the famous archer, but wasn't at all scared to tell him that he better treat his mom well, or he'd have him to answer to.

Robin took the whole conversation good-naturedly, promising Henry that he would always act with honour towards his mother and his family, just as he does with his own family and merry men. In turn, he introduces Henry to Roland, who is instantly taken with his new big brother. He follows him around like his little shadow, enraptured with the comic books Henry talks about and, in return, Roland shows Henry how to hold a bow properly.

Robin and Regina's relationship goes from strength to strength, enhanced by their boys' instant partnership and both resolve that, even if they never make it back to Storybrooke, they're happy with their lives.

Although Snow and Charming have told her that she is more than welcome back to the castle to live, she decides that there are far too many bad memories and, instead, she opts to move into a small house in the grounds, big enough for the family of four to live happily.

Despite the comfortable situation, Regina doesn't stop working hard to find a solution to their location issue. In fact, it's something Robin says to her that sets the cogs in her brain going.

_You have a piece of my heart, Regina. You will always have a piece of my heart, and with that, know that you will never fail me, you will never be alone._

She has piece of his heart. He loves her and, just as much, he has piece of hers. What about a piece of Snow's? Charming's? The other people she loves? The original dark curse needed the heart of the thing she loved most… so it would make sense that a new curse could be made from all the hearts of the people she loves most, willingly given and cast with all the best of intentions. It wouldn't even be a curse. It would be a second chance.

And with the support of Robin and their children, Regina's willing to take that chance.


End file.
